The 40th Hunger Games
by EmilyHerondaleOdair
Summary: As the escrort slowly walked across the stage, her heels clacked on the wodden boards like a construction working nailing the walls to the platform of a bird house...SYOC CLOSED! Keep checking in for chapters on the official tribute list!
1. Chapter 1

The Mayor watched meticulously as the massive hands on the town clock closed together, signaling that the time was Infact noon. The crowds of lined children fell so silent a shudder of instontainious cold swept through the square. Like a chill crawling down the spine of the entire district. The silence was quickly pierced by the fierce tapping of the escorts high-heeled shoes stumbling onto the stage near the ball of names. She smoothed out her silky mauve coloured dress and exhaled, tapping the microphone ever so slightly. The air filled with cries of displeasure as a high pitch tap sprung out of it, the escorts face wrinkling up like a pumpkin. She cleared her throat, giggling and attempting to get a laugh out of the citizens.  
"Well...Atleast we all know THAT works..." she continued laughing but stopped abruptly after realizing she was the only one who found it even mildly amusing.  
"Alright then. Let's begin with the girls." she mused, trotting over to the huge ball and dropping her hand inside. Everyone held their breath, holding silent prayers close of hope for their children. Just let it be someone else. ANYONE else but mine. Loudly the escort read off the name. An ear shattering scream ripped through the air.  
**_  
**

*** Hello everyone! Sorry about the random paragraph, I need to write a random snippet of something to be able to post a chapter of the SYOC. So this SYOC is officially open and reading to roll; below will be the things I want but I have a few rules first:**

1. These characters MUST be original. look at it from my point of view: I'm a writer, but If Im not interested in my character, I'll usually just kill them off. Please make your characters FROM THE HEART. If your character had flaws EXCENTUATE THEM. If your character has skills EXAGGERATE THEM. If your character Is dull and boring, MAKE THEM THE MOST DULL AND BORING IN THE ENTITE UNIVERSE. Really, just have fun with it.

2. I know Some authors don't nessesarely like when you go to "hard core" with your characters and describe "every single sickening little detail", but that's EXACTLY what I want. I'm a detail writer, so if the details aren't given, I'll be fine with making them up, but YOUR the reader and I want your character to be the way YOU in visioned him/her.

3. DO NOT be afraid to make a bad guy! I love the villains! There are ALWAYS some douche bags in stories so write them! Bring them to life!

4. Anyone whose given me good detail and payed attention to these rule things WILL NOT die in the blood bath.

5. I HATE SYOC's that have "main characters" in them. I don't understand why you would ask people to create their own characters if your story only centers around yours, so EVERY character will be getting mostly around the same writing time. Again, the more detail you give me, the more I can work with.

5. So I know you read these, on the top of your application please answer this question:  
Who is your favourite HG character?

*NOTE: the districts will be first come first serve, so if your districts already been taken, I will private message you and we can work something out*

Application:

Name: (Full name please)

District choice:

Height/Weight

Hair colour/length:

Eye colour/appearance:

Anything else about their appearance:

Personality: (traits, what they like, how they act)

What do people generally think of them?:

What do they enjoy doing in life?:

What don't they enjoy?:

What motivates them day to day?:

What's there opinion on the games?:

Family: (Names, ages, appearances, personalities)

What do each of their family members think of the games?:

History: (Any background information on the family)

Day to day life: (a brief description on what a day in the life of him/her is like)

Clashes: (Who they butt heads with, who causes them problems or who they cause problems for. Who they don't agree with)

Friends: (names, appearances, personalities)

What do their friends think about the games?:

Financial status: (rich, poor, ect.)

Home:( what their house looks like, size, ect.)

Volunteered/reaped:

Reaction to reaping:

Families reaction to reaping:

How they act on stage:

Who comes to visit them before they leave:

Any tokens they might receive and who brings them:

Arena strategy:

Skills:

Weaknesses:

Weapons they like/would use:

Any other additional information: (this is your opportunity to see to it that your character shines above the others. The more interesting, the better chance of them living until the end)

*You can either PM the application or do a review (I need a combination of both for the SYOC not to get reported) thank you so much and ill post the tributes do far once I get atleast 10 :) I'll update often, yeah for Summer!*  



	2. Official Tribute List

**Hey guys; after a long while of waiting and messaging back and forth, this is your official tribute list for the games. If anyone, anyone at all, wants to send me an application for district 10 or 3 male before I write the reapings, I will replace the "bloodbath victim" slot with the name of the first application I get. Thank you to all of you who submitted tributes, and for those who have been placed on the official list, congratulations and good luck. It may be a few days before any reapings are posted, but I promise the wait will not be long. The reapings will come in order of district, and the male/female reapings will each be in the same chapter. If there is ANY OTHER ADDITTONAL INFORMATION you want me to know before the reapings are written, this is your absolute last chance to inform me. The only other thing I need is for EVERY SINGLE TRIBUTE to private message me with the subject "District _ female/male tribute" and put at the top of their message, their age (even if you already included it in the application, I just want everything all sorted out together) as well as your additional information. IF I don't get a message from you by the end of today and your age WAS NOT specified in your application, your tribute's age will be guessed. Again, remember to label the subject of the message the district your tributes from, and male or female. Thank you all; the reapings will be posted soon. Oh, and Would-You-Die-For-Me still needs to send me their district 12 female application!**

District 1

Male: Glint Marcus Stone

Female: Cassia Forkon (No fanfiction account)

District 2

Male: Julias Wright (Leemur35)

Female: Witsy Jewels (Green eyed rose)

District 3

Male: (bloodbath victim)

Female: Binary Raunch (LupusOverKill)

District 4

Male: Carden Janthis Timandum

Female: Tiger Lily Baker (Lifestooshorttocare)

District 5

Male: Tonic Python (Leemur35)

Female: Faye Cresent (d11olive-13)

District 6

Male: Ely Zerones

Female: Cassie Black (kitkat1425)

District 7

Male: Crow Winters

Female: Valerie May Donnelly

District 8

Male: Declan Fence

Female: Whisper Rae Zarra

District 9:

Male: Topher Malloy (Quietlittlewallflower)

Female: Dani Delucci

District 10

Male: (bloodbath victim)

Female: Melinda Jane Lacey (Rosemarie Benson)

District 11:

Female: Flounder Marie Moray (thegirlinthepointeshoes)

Male: Jace Michael Nervak

District 12

Male: Tim Rensheart

Female: (Saved) Would-You-Die-For-Me

District 13

Male: Cori Applesmith

Female: Hayley Layaya Montenegro (NewClassic22)


	3. PLEASE READ THIS GUYS!

***PLEASE READ THIS GUYS***

**We have our official list and the writing of the reapings is completely underway. Just wanted to let you guys know that It'll be a few days before district 1 is up. Also, almost every single tribute is 17 years old (just found that sort of weird, dunno its just me). I've also decided something very important; I'm not killing off any tributes in the bloodbath unless specified otherwise. The Arena my friend and I have created makes it so at the beginning of the games, each district is separated and thrown in at different points, so they can't see each other when it begins, meaning there WILL NOT BE an initial "bloodbath" scene. I'm also taking this time to warn you once again, that the violence in these entries will most likely be pretty graphic, and these games won't exactly follow the most "traditional route" as to what happens to the tributes. Here is your official list once more, just to make certain everybody's on the same page. The next time I'll be posting, it'll be the district reapings. Good luck.**

District 1

Male: Glint Marcus Stone

Female: Cassia Forkon (No fanfiction account)

District 2

Male: Julias Wright (Leemur35)

Female: Witsy Jewels (Green eyed rose)

District 3

Male: Winder

Female: Binary Raunch (LupusOverKill)

District 4

Male: Carden Janthis Timandum

Female: Tiger Lily Baker (Lifestooshorttocare)

District 5

Male: Tonic Python (Leemur35)

Female: Faye Cresent (d11olive-13)

District 6

Male: Ely Zerones

Female: Cassie Black (kitkat1425)

District 7

Male: Crow Winters

Female: Valerie May Donnelly

District 8

Male: Declan Fence

Female: Whisper Rae Zarra

District 9:

Male: Topher Malloy (Quietlittlewallflower)

Female: Dani Delucci

District 10

Male: Tartus McKinner Valerio Jr.

Female: Melinda Jane Lacey (Rosemarie Benson)

District 11:

Female: Flounder Marie Moray (thegirlinthepointeshoes)

Male: Jace Michael Nervak

District 12

Male: Tim Rensheart

Female: Zora "cherry" Hendys

District 13

Male: Cori Applesmith

Female: Hayley Layaya Montenegro (NewClassic22)


	4. District 1 male reaping

**Hey guys! I'm so sorry this took so long, I fractured my arm last week and had the big cast and everything, so it was hard to type. I'm putting the male and female reapings in separate chapters because they're longer then I originaly thought they would be. Anyway, hope you like the first one! Review please!**

District 1 male reaping

Glint Stone:

I'm awoken to the usual sounds of scuffling and metal crashing against metal as I slowly drift back to consciousness, quickly annoyed by the feeling of the cold, concrete, training centre floor on my face. I run a quick hand through my shortened brown hair, making no effort to stumble upwards toward my locker until I'm positive my exhaustion won't topple me right back over. I've been training through the night, as I sometimes do when it's too busy during the day. My father feels its "benificial for me to learn how to train while forcing myself into a state of either fatigue or hunger" for the games so naturally, I do what he says and avoid his screams ringing through my ears. After a moment or two of focusing on my pounding headache, pulsing its way into becoming quite the later distraction, I stand up and walk towards my locker, at the back crescent of the training hall. I chuckle slightly at the sight of how dented and misshapen my locker door is (probably from a fight or just pure frustration), so much so that it basically stays perminantly open. I wrap a towel around my neck to soak up the sweat and take a swig from my water bottle, wrinkling my face a little after hearing the sound of loud scattered foot steps. I cock my head to the side and see a familiar looking group of tributes trainees, one of which I distinctly remember giving quite the warning too last time we spoke.  
"Hey Glint; isn't this a little...you know...late for you to be showing up to training?"  
My dull blue eyes flicker over to the training center clock. 9:30 am.  
"I've been here all night" I say more informatively than proudly.  
The boy in the middle laughs, taking a fake over powered swing at a manican.  
"Oh that's right; little victors village boy wouldn't want to "ruin his family name" by training too little now would he?"  
My fists clench at the mention of my family. I blink hard, reminding myself that If I wasted my time on this moron, I would never make it home in time to get ready for the reaping.  
"I train for myself." I say stubbornly, starting to take my old yesterday's clothes and ring the sweat out of them.  
"Well Glint, unlike you, SOME PEOPLE don't need to train as much; they just need to continue strengthening their skills because they're just BORN fighters."  
That arrogant bastard. He couldn't win against a butterfly. I ignore him, impatiently beginning to stuff the remainder of my belongings into a bag in order to leave quicker.  
"Wow, the mindless brute's got nothing to say today?"  
"Guess not Rhyner." chimed in another boy.  
Rhyner. I'll remember that for next time he shows his sorry face in here. He chuckles, the corners of his mouth stretching into a sly smile.  
"Bet he's just speeding up so he can hurry home and bow down to daddy some more."  
Instantly I drop my bag, taking two large purposeful steps toward him and forcing my fist in hard contact with his face before he even realizes I had moved at all. I grab him by the collar of his shirt and slam him to the floor, delivering punch after punch until I think he's stunned enough that I can stand without him fighting back. I give him two hard kicks to the rib cadge, but while I'm up he wraps himself around my legs and forces me down on top of him. Now he's the one giving the punches back, blinding me in a mess of blood and sweat until I can prop myself up and send a sucker punch right to his jaw. He clutches his face in agony as I struggle to stand, grabbing him again by the collar of his shirt but this time pinning him up against the closest wall. I breathe deeply as he cringes away, smiling slightly as the pull of adrenaline pumps itself through my veins, cooling me down and giving me more strength. It's the feeling I live for; the push that keeps me moving forward and getting better. His breathing's scattered and disjointed, letting out little high pitched squeals every so often. I raise my fist inches from his face, letting him sir-come to total fear and failure. Just as quickly as I jerk my fist forward I pull it away, letting him fall to the ground in a scared wreck. I don't look to make a lot of mess, just to efficiently dispose of the problem in the easiest way possible while experiencing the thrill of the fight itself. Point A to point B; the simple path I live my ENTIRE life by. It's just a hell of a lot easier that way in my opinion. I don't try to make any contact with the other boys as I leave; just sling my pack over my shoulder and slam the front door to the training center on my way out. I bring my hand up to my face and cringe a little as the slight touch stings my skin. I rub my fingers together, spreading the bright crimson splashes between them. My other hand goes to my temple, and I quicken my pace, hoping somehow that the severity of my headache will lessen by the time I'm home.

Even the wealthiest dwellings of district 1 families cannot compete with my extravagant house in victors village. It's positively massive, with pillars surrounding the porch as if it were a temple for the gods. My father's a past victor; another reason to pass on the family trait and win the games myself once I volunteer this afternoon. I don't exactly look at the games as a frightening challenge like most do, but more of a giant training experience, to better my skills and continue to boast the family name. I catch my father's cold firm glare as I walk through the doorway, throwing my training bag to the floor and taking a seat beside Sash (my sister). I grunt slightly, answering before he can even ask a question, "I got a little...occupied, after train_"  
"You could've been late for the reaping." he interrupts , obviously uninterested in what I had to say unless its in agreement to his own views.  
"I wasn't trying to be_"  
"Enough, Glint "my mother scolds as she walks through the archway, Unpinning her light brown hair so it falls in elegant curls down her back, framing her small build. She looks like a mere child next to my father, whose muscular build and pure body weight easily made him twice as tall as me.  
"Go upstairs and get changed."  
"I was just going to wear this..." I say, tugging a little on my shirt. Sash grunts, rolling her eyes and walking away.  
My mother looks at me with weary eyes, fumbling a little as she speaks.  
"I just...I just wanted to say that I'm proud of you Glint; I'm proud that you're finally going to put some of that training into action." I nod and she smiles slightly, obviously trying desperately not to convey her inner emotions. I know my mother will never be happy with my training; will never agree with sending me to volunteer with that slim chance that she'll loose a son in the games she hates with a burning passion. But I also know that she cares for my father and I more than her own views, and will support me through anything my father feels needs to be done for me to reach my full potential.  
"Aren't we GOING soon?" shouts Mia, my youngest sister of 12, Sash hanging close behind her. They're both dressed in identically colored satin dresses, except Sash's hair braided elegantly in a bun to show her more mature and calm stature, while Mia's is tangled wildly over her shoulders in an array of curls and swirls, portraying more of a childishness rather than an innocence.  
Mia smiles brightly, running down the stairs towards the door in excitement.  
"I'm SO excited! Do you think they'll show clips from the other Hunger Games's? Do you think they'll be past victors and everything?"  
"It's not a CIRCUS SHOW Mia, it's a reaping." snaps Sash, smoothing out her dress, "Youre not worried at ALL? Without EVER having been trained?"  
Mia laughs, "What, about getting CHOSEN? All the more fun!" she beams as I let forth a grunt, heading out the door with them.

The square's already completely packed by the time we reach it, the last few children completing the sign in. I fumble through the line, racing to the the outer edges of my age group pile in the hopes of seeing my friend Kyra before I volunteer. Her soft sympathetic eyes reach mine as I race toward her, holding her in a quick embrace.  
"Well...I guess this is it then."  
Her expression holds so much unexpressed pain that it makes me feel guilty; guilty that I'm abandoning the only friend I ever had, the only one who never called me dumb or stupid or slow, all for fame and fortune.  
"Yeah...I guess." I answer back, trying to will myself to say something that just wouldn't come. She opens her mouth, but her words are cut off by the booming voice of our escort, Shimmer Glow.  
"Welcome district 1 to your 40th HUNGER GAMES!"  
"I have to go to my group. Glint, I..."  
But before I could hear words she was gone, already with the other line of 18 year old girls.  
"The ladies first everyone!" she says, prancing over and placing her name in the ball until she found a slip of paper to her liking.  
"Brianna Lialac." she reads clearly, but a firm "I volunteer!" rings through the audience before the final syllable of the name even escapes Shimmer's lips. A slender girl with dark hair and a sullen pointed face runs up on stage, ignoring the shrieks and screams of a woman in the audience who's probably her mother.  
"And what's your name sweetheart?"  
"Cassia Forkon." she speaks clearly and powerfully, obviously trying to display her authority. Shimmer grins and walks over to the ball for the boys. I try and block out the noise that surrounds me, reminding myself that it doesn't matter the name who's called, because I'll be going into the area instead. I can win though, I know I can. I'm strong enough, I'm prepared enough...  
"Waver Neil!"  
And then it's over, it's time. A shaking 12 year old boy who couldn't have been much bigger than my own sister Mia is shaking with fear, but sighs in relief as my booming voice covers the surround of the square.  
"I Volunteer!" I shout, pushing past a few people in front of me to get to the stage. Shimmer claps a little with her tiny glove covered hands, ushering me towards the microphone.  
"And what's YOUR name?"  
"Glint Stone." I say proudly, boasting my ego a little bit just incase I don't make it all the way on pure skill.  
"Alright everyone; Glint Stone and Cassia Forkon, the tributes for district 1!"  
We shake hands, though I feel as her cold eyes are staring right through my heart and it's beginning to make me nervous enough to watch my back.  
Quickly we're ushered into separate rooms inside the justice building, and before I know it, most of my family is crowding around in the hallway. My trainer Mace, also a former victor, said his goodbyes to me the day before, not wanting to use up my precious goodbye time. My father walks in, closing the door softly behind him before kneeling down beside me.  
"Now Glint, I know a thousand different things are probably going through your mind right now, which is good because it gives you a strategy advantage...but I just want you to take a second and remember who you are once in a while...try to picture your life back home. I don't want it to distract you...I just want you to come back as our Glint."  
It's probably the nicest thing he's ever said to me, and I don't hesitate when he places a well made ring into my hands that I recognize well. The stone family ring.  
"My father gave me this when I went in the arena, so now I'm giving it to you." he places a hand on my shoulder and heads towards the door.  
"You're not gonna wish me good luck?" I stammer out.  
"I would, but you don't need it. I already know you're going to win." he says without even turning around as he leaves. Next my mother, Sash, and Mia come. My mother gives a short humorless and fake drabble about how shes always known this is what I was born to do, even though she's never wanted me to train in the first place. Mia starts giving kill tactic suggestions while Sash stands uncomfortably in the corner with tears streaming down her cheeks. Once they start clearing out, I yell back, "SASH...I'm coming back you know." she turns to face me; "You'd better." she snaps, moving around someone trying to get back into the room. My heart rate quickens as Kyra steps into the room, her hair in a mess and her eyes red with salty tears. She runs at me and wraps her arms around my neck, whispering that she wishes someone else had volunteered instead of me. I tell her no, that this is what my destiny is. She pulls away, flicking hair out of her eyes.  
"Just...just stay alive, okay?"  
I nod, realizing that I'm not being reassuring enough.  
"I promise."

**Well, there you go! These will be coming along quicker now, so just be patient guys :)**


	5. District 1 Female reaping

***Hey guys! So this is your district 1 female reaping. I promise these will be coming along A LOT SOONER, so don't loose faith in me! I've also got the arena design done, and have included some "interesting twists" I'm hoping you guys will like. Anyway, I won't keep rambling on, so here's district one finishing up!***

District 1 female reaping

The corners of my mouth curve into what could maybe pass off as a smile, as I clench my fist tighter and continue to shred what's left of my pencil into the notebook, and watching carefully as each piece of paper flies off into a miss matched tare. What started off as an attempt this morning at an addition to my collection of poems, quickly transformed into a stress releaser for my hatred of the world, and all the people in it. Well, most of them anyway. My mother's been on my tail all day, giving me virtually no time for myself, and certainly no time at all for my regularly scheduled session at the training centre. All my bottled up annoyance from throughout the day, I usually work or beat out of my system with the training; but today it's not at all going how I wanted it to go. To be perfectly honest, most days usually don't. In my closed in rage I tried to make myself sit down calmly by myself under my tree, the only solitude I can actually GRAB in my life, to express myself in the only OTHER way I know how. Poetry. Not to my surprise, I ended up breaking the pencil into pieces and using it to slice shards into the pieces of paper. Not my most "acclaimed work" I can assure, but It definitely brought some heart into the mood. I groan loudly, laying back and flopping over onto the bed of grass that grows beneath the giant willow. I think of different things, (Writing, training, causing people pain) to take away the thoughts of the things I'd be happy to do without ( my mother, other people, my mother, this cadge of a district...my mother.) She's alright I guess if you want to look at the "factual definition of a good mother's qualities" but she's just so god damn annoying. Protective and overriding, it's like she just WANTS me to be 4 years old my entire life. That's certainly how she treats us, me and my brother both. I twitch slightly as I feel a strand of hair being moved from my face, and I turn to see my boyfriend Cameron, laying down in the same position as me but about 10 inches farther away. Again he takes a gentle hand and sways a few darkened strands out of my gaze.  
"So we can see those pretty blue eyes." he teases, knowing I hate when people talk down to me like I'm a child.  
"They're not blue; they're just a big swirl of gray blue fog. Like a swamp at night time."  
He laughs, running a hand through his own spiky blonde hair.  
"Fine then; so we can see the foggy swamp at night time then."  
I lay my head back on his chest and let my broad shoulders relax some against his skin. Cameron's one of the only people in my life I actually LIKE, let alone actually trust with anything important. I feel like never have to be "nice little Edelweiss" around him, I can just be Cassia. Sullen, hating, dark, Cassia. And the funny part is, he doesn't seem to mind in the least.  
"Your mom pull some strings and find a way for you not to have to go tomorrow?"  
My face scrunches up at the mention of my mother.  
"Doubt it. Even she can't keep her "darling innocent little Edelweiss" away from the festivities" I say dramatically, throwing myself over him in a "last dying breathe" sort of way.  
"I don't like going. It's a little too..."  
"A little too what? Your not one of those crazy "game hating" people like my mother are you?"  
"No, no of course not."  
"And you train for them don't you?"  
"Of course!"  
"Then what's the problem?" I ask impatiently, sitting up. He stammers for a few seconds.  
"I just... I don't know I just sort of wish they'd have thought about this whole "games thing" a little more extensively before making such a quick decision. The Captiol I mean. Like...no matter how many children die, it's not going to make the districts feel any worse or guilty about the dark days and the uprising, which is supposed to be the point. For every dead child it's just one more step closer to the districts hating the Capitol even MORE. It's not helping them at all is what I mean, it's like they're digging their own graves.  
I pause taking what I he had said.  
"I never really thought about it that way before, to be honest" I finally say. It's true; I only really see the games as a goal; one gigantic opportunity to take my frustrations out on random people to the point of their demise. Not at all how my mother sees it, who often will pull out words like "horrific" "barbaric" "malevolent" and "viciously morbid". Just the other day she called them "malicious". Way to dig deep mom.  
"I'm sure it'll get MUCH more exciting than usual this year: they don't often have a child's mother "die of shock and pure frustration" when someone Volunteers!" I say, laughing as he laughs slightly, shifting his gaze upward and obviously not wanting to continue on the topic of tomorrow. I lay back down, breathing on rhythm with his breathes until he sits up and I'm forced to move.  
"What time do you think it is?"  
He looks down at his empty wrist.  
"Well, considering we live in the notorious district 3, where a variety of robot time telling devices are intricately installed within the skin of each citizen, I'd say it's gotten...pretty late." I laugh again, running and wrapping my arms around his neck until my dark hair sways just above his shoulders.  
"I should probably get going then."  
"Yeah, it'll be dark soon."  
I hug him tight, facing him as I walk backwards.  
"I'm about to enter the pit of hell...any advice?"  
He pauses for a moment, probably pondering over one of the thousands of helpful and encouraging things he always seems to say at the perfect moment.  
"Just take a break Cassia. You'll need it." he finally says as we go our separate ways, stalking into different directions as the sun begins to fade behind an array of purply orange clouds. My mind tries to relax itself through the short walk, though my excitement for tomorrows events can barley keep it steady. I've always found the games interesting; forbidden and dangerous, unlike my boring life in my boring district. Yet this year, the adrenaline I've been saving up for years and years will finally unravel in front of not only the citizens of district 1, but of the nation of Panem. This year, when I volunteer myself as a tribute.

Throughout the night, strange dreams threaten to overtake me into waking from my slumber. Morphing scenes of my aunt Casseya, for whom I'm named for, being slaughtered in graphic/gory ways as she competes in the Hunger Games she died in. A shadowy picture of my father-whom I've never even seen a picture of-laying face down in front of our home, pale and ghostly with the kiss of death while my mother screams and collapses to the grass. At the actual time of his death, my mother was barely a week pregnant with me. His death was confirmed the day after she had told him; joyously announced her excitement over bringing an innocent little baby girl into the world. Unfortunately, she received me instead, a living breathing incarnation of her looks and my father's sullen, cruel personality. Guess you don't always get what you bargain for.  
I awake covered in sweat, sluggishly sweeping my collection of blankets off my body until I'm back in a more comfortable state. Though I know it's already 8:30, and there's no possible chance in hell of me being able to get back asleep. I groan loudly, lifting myself off the mattress in one quick yank, figuring the shock will at least tell my body that it's SUPPOSED to be awake by now. I flip my hair back and blow the remaining strands away from my line of sight as I force myself into a cold shower. It's shocking and irritating to my body, but the only way to get me focused on today's unfolding events. My dark eyes narrow toward my bed as I see that my mother's been in here and laid out an outfit for me. A tight, form fitting black shirt that shows off the narrow sleekness of my legs, and a white tank top with frills and lace covering the interior, complete with bunched up bits of fabric like a porcelain doll's tea dress. I moan in annoyance as I slip on some simple black flats and run a brush through my hair, satisfied that at least IT managed to stay simple, sullen, and unspoiled. I tap at the glass banister my entire way along the stairs, hoping that mother will notice and inform me to "please stop making that infernal racket!" as she often does. Instead, she almost completely ignores me, continuing to set the table and bring out tray after tray of what seems to be a collaboration of all of our (my brother and I) favourite foods. I don't even pretend to hide my annoyance as I grumpily stalk up to the table, roughly pulling out a chair and taking my seat.  
"Good morning honey! You look nice..."  
"I look hideous," I Interrupt, "Thanks' to you."  
She smiles slightly, bringing in another basket of warm bread with a cloth over it.  
"Why do we NEED all this?"  
"Well, we don't really NEED it, I just figured it would be nice to give you guys a little treat that's all."  
"So this isn't a "distraction tactic?"  
My mother shoots me a quick glare as Leo runs into the room, making engine noises until he stops dead in the kitchen.  
"Woah! Is this ALL for us?" he says, his blue eyes gleaming.  
She ruffles up his auburn hair with her hand.  
"Every last bite."  
He smiles, jumping up into his seat beside mine as our mother joins us.  
"You look nice Cassie."  
"...Thanks." I manage to say through my teeth without slamming my head through the table.  
"This is so cool!" he continues, "This is all the stuff we like!"  
"As if we weren't spoiled pigs living on a pile of luxury anyway." I mutter.  
"Edelweiss!"  
"What?" I spit back at her, "You DON'T give us everything we want? You AREN'T constantly spoiling us with things we don't need to "distract us" from the..."  
"Cassia please! Not in front of your brother!"  
I glare back at her for a moment, then shove my food aside.  
"Fine. I'll see you at the reaping." I snarl, heading outside and slamming the door shut behind me. It makes me sick, the length she'll go to try and impress her children. I HATE being spoiled, I HATE being treated like a baby. I HATE her. That's why I've been training in secret for the games for the last 7 years of my life, everything I've ever done channels back to now. To this moment today. When her "beautiful and innocent little girl" willingly pushes herself into a game of death and survival ,that she thinks I've barley seen let alone trained for, her world will shatter, and mine will quickly begin to form.

"Welcome district 1 to your 40th HUNGER GAMES!" the screeching voice of our escort, the "ever so pleasant and cheerful" Shimmer Glow booms annoyingly across the square. My mother and brother stand far off, obviously a tactic to try and prevent Leo from hearing anything "actually important" about the games. I struggle to find the face of Cameron, and give up once Shimmer's said something about the girls being first, like she always says. Because now, it won't be her "shimmering". Now, it's MY time to shine.  
"Brianna Lialac_"  
Time stops around me. I know Brianna Lilacson's face is beginning to turn pale as her name's called, but the realization of her situation won't even have time to sink in. Because its about to turn into mine.  
"I volunteer!" I shout before Shimmer's lips can form the sound of the last syllable of her name. Shimmer smiles as I walk up to the stage, a horrifically determined scowl fixed onto my face. I can here my mother screaming and crying all the way from the platform, as peace Keepers are forced to hold her back and cover her mouth while Leo clings to her anxiously, his face pale and saddened. I do feel sorry he has to go through something like this, but not much. After all, I know I'm coming back.  
"And what's your name sweetheart?"  
"Cassia Forkon." I say loudly in an authoritative way. I shoot another death glare to the crowd as she claps in glee, walking over to the ball of boys names.  
"Waver Neil!"  
"I volunteer!" a booming voice fills the square as a large very physically fit boy with shortened brown hair jumps over the stairs and hoists himself up to where Shimmer's glittery high heels are clacked against the wood.  
"And what's YOUR name?"  
"Glint Stone." he says, slightly out of breath. I've seen him around school a few times, more so at the far side training centre. I tend to jump from one to the next, to ensure my mother doesn't check the sign in's. Not that it matters now.  
"Alright everyone; Glint Stone and Cassia Forkon, the tributes for district 1!"  
She moves us toward one another and  
we shake hands. I give him a playful glare, hoping it causes a little confusion on his part. At first impression, Glint gives off very serious vibes of a fierce competitor; strong, fit, ruthless, ect. Yet sometimes Brauns over brains is the wrong move, especially in a game where one wrongly thought out social card can cost you your life in the arena. Never the less, I decide that I'll keep a sharp eye on Glint stone.  
The justice building's smaller on the inside then I would've thought, and I end up sitting in a room by myself long before I had even figured the walk was half way done. I groan slightly as I hear my mother, pleading with the peace keepers in between scattered tears to let me leave, that it was a mistake for me to go on stage. Suddenly the door swings open and my little brother leans against the far wall looking back anxiously at my mother, whose normally beautiful face is now puffy and red from tears, her clothes ripped and ruined from collapsing onto the ground out in the square. I scatter back quickly as without warning she lunges toward me, the other peace keepers bring forced to pin her arms behind her back as she falls to her knees and begins to cry once more.  
"How could you do this to me Cassia? To your brother? After all I've given up for you to have a happy life you just throw it all away to get yourself killed? Does your life mean NOTHING to you?"  
"This IS my life mom, and this is something I WANT my life to include..."  
"You don't know the first THING about surviving out there Cassia! Those...those people, they're cold blooded killers! They're ruthless!"  
"So am I! And what happened to them all being "children" who didn't have another choice!"  
"This isn't you daring...you don't even have any training..."  
"You know what mom? Maybe if you stopped pampering me for 5 seconds, you'd have realized that I've been training for the games for the past 7 years! Whether you like it or not mom this IS me! And you can't just CHANGE that!"  
My yelling brings her tone almost to a silence as the peace keepers drag her away while she mutters things like "My little baby Edelweiss" to herself in between sobs. Once the door clicks softly shut, Leo runs over and wraps his arms around my waist.  
"I hope you have fun!" he says excitedly, looking back at me with an innocence I wish I still had. My mother's been so protective over us, that she never explained the actual concept of the Hunger Games to Leo, so he really doesn't understand where I'm going or why I'm going there. He's just happy because I'm happy.  
"Oh I will. Make sure to watch for me on TV, okay?"  
He smiles and nods, taking something out of his pocket and placing it in my hand. My parents wedding ring.  
"Mommy said that I have to give this to your as your token, whatever that means. "  
Since I don't want to hurt his feelings, I smile back and hug him one last time before our time is up, and he's forced to leave.  
"Thank you." I manage to choke out before its just me alone, and silence floods my ears.

I flop down on the most comfortable seat by myself as I get onto the train, opening the window and throwing the ring out into the abyss before I have to look at it any longer. Why carry around dead weight that you don't want anyway? Leo's voice floods my memory as the city scape goes booming by.  
"I hope you have fun!"  
And I know I will. With all that killing, how could I not?

***And for anyone who was wondering, I got my cast off :) though a week later, I fell and scraped my knees/elbows, then the next day I swallowed a bee and it stung the inside of my mouth. I'm kinda prone to injury :/ ***


End file.
